Has the FCC...softened up?!

[It's...Baylariat!]

The Cigar Lounge has been invaded by the most dangerous left arm in TEXAS! THE LARIAT!

Now, onto my question.

The FCC used to be notorious for having strict rules on what the consumer can buy, play with, or watch. Howard Stern is the first person to come to mind. His controversial shows and borderline pornographic nature of his show drew a lot of controversy and a lot of ire from Tipper Gore and numerous other high profile politicians.
And shows like All in the Family, Married...With Children, and Friends also caused some minor stirs within the FCC.

Now, television shows have been quite a bit racier over the past 10 years. Friends started using more risque language and storylines, and Seinfeld had been using storylines that were borderline, but no suggestive language was used. NOW, we have Two and a Half Men, a show that constantly has sexual innuendo at 9 PM EST. Not to mention It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That show pushes lots of boundaries.

My question is this. IS the FCC a little softer than it has been in the past, or is it the same, only not as telling as it was years ago? I want yes and no answers and reasons for both.

 

[The Dewbliners]

Lariat, I don't think it's so much that the FCC has "softened", per se. I see it more as, social mores are changing. It's more acceptable today to talk about the sexin', than it was back in the mid- to Late-90s. Also, even though they are an independant agency, they tend to acclimate to the political and social climate. That is to say, if we have a Republican controlled Congress, the FCC is going to adhere to their morals. Same rule applies to when we have a Democratic controlled Congress.

Then again, I could be wrong......

 

[FromTheSouth]

The FCC doesn't regulate video games. That is done by the ESRB. The ESRB is a non-profit, set up and funded by the gaming industry. The industry actually regulates itself. That game is given an M rating, and stores should not be selling it to kids without a parent present.

No, the FCC hasn't softened up. Look at the outcry over Janet Jackson's nipple. The FCC fined CBS millions of dollars. The language on shows in ridiculous now, but that is a product of the networks loosening standards. The seven dirty words are really and truly the seven dirty words. Now, before I go any further, I want to make a distinction. The FCC only regulates the airwaves, or broadcast channels. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, MYNetwork, The CW, etc. Cable lines are privately owned, and not subject to the FCC, and this is why South Park does what they do. The lack of cussing or nudity on cable is due to network standards and practices. The FCC still regulates broadcast television, and those networks may have loosened up, but the FCC has not.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

The FCC doesn't regulate video games. That is done by the ESRB. The ESRB is a non-profit, set up and funded by the gaming industry. The industry actually regulates itself. That game is given an M rating, and stores should not be selling it to kids without a parent present.

Did not know this. Thought the ESRB and FCC were in the same entity.

No, the FCC hasn't softened up. Look at the outcry over Janet Jackson's nipple. The FCC fined CBS millions of dollars. The language on shows in ridiculous now, but that is a product of the networks loosening standards. The seven dirty words are really and truly the seven dirty words. Now, before I go any further, I want to make a distinction. The FCC only regulates the airwaves, or broadcast channels. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, MYNetwork, The CW, etc. Cable lines are privately owned, and not subject to the FCC, and this is why South Park does what they do. The lack of cussing or nudity on cable is due to network standards and practices. The FCC still regulates broadcast television, and those networks may have loosened up, but the FCC has not.

Well, that was nearly five years ago. And as far as nudity, the FCC's stance on that hasn't changed. However the content of most TV shows has. Look at Two and a Half Men. Back in the day, saying 'head of your penis' on TV was a HUGE no, no. Now, unless I've missed it, Two and a Half men's producers or CBS were never punished for this. Not to mention exposing a teenager to half naked women like what Jake was exposed to on the show. Funny as it is, it also shows me that maybe the FCC's softening up a little bit. Family Guy did a particular episode on how the FCC seemed to have too much control over what's on TV. I think now, the FCC still regulates, but doesn't want to skew reality. Penis, ass, damn, hell, and vagina are medical terms and minor curse words that are commonly used in human nature and now on TV. Back then, all the sexual innuendo had to be real creative in order to avoid having to scrap an episode due to content. I'd say the FCC's stance has softened since Nipplegate.

 

[FromTheSouth]

But you're missing the point. The FCC's rules haven't changed. The networks have tighter content regulations than the government does. One network doesn't want to appear too loose in comparison to the others, so they incrementally loosen their private standards. The FCC provides very baseline regulations, no nudity, no "seven dirty words", no hate speech, etc. The networks tighten up their content restrictions. This is why shows get junked. It is the NETWORK censors that scrap shows, not the federal ones. The federal censors exist to fine and enforce the rules.

 

[gd]

I think the FCC isn't as strict as it has been in the past, but that may be more due to social changes rather than the FCC "softening up." Times has definetly changed though. For instance, I didn't think "********" was something that could be said on TV, but I've heard it on multiple shows. Also, Borat was on USA yesterday, and they they didn't bleep out the word "*****." There haven't been many major changes, but I think as time has went on, the FCC has lightened up just a little bit.

 

[FromTheSouth]

Once again, GD, the word "*****" and the word "********" have nothing to do with the FCC and everything to do with network standards and practices.

Now, if we're examining the FCC, there is a point I would like to bring up about how the current administration intends to expand it's powers to take away freedom. http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Fairness_Doctrine_FCC/2009/08/18/249417.html

Basically, Obama's diversity czar feels that there aren't enough liberal talk radio shows. Interestingly enough, he has nothing to say about print and television media being dominated by left. Lloyd, the czar, feels that he needs to expand the regulatory power of the FCC to block access to the airwaves to stations that refuse to have an equal amount of right and left wing talk shows.

I have a problem with this, in that, as I said above, Lloyd has not mentioned that NBC, CBS, and AllBarrackChannel do not offer anything but left leaning view and opinions on the broadcast airwaves that are owned by the public. No, it's only radio that is a concern, perhaps because this is the one area where the right dominates.

Lloyd is a self-professed Communist, so maybe this has some influence. He opposes capitalism. Now, last time I checked, this nation was still capitalist, and the station owners should have final approval of content. The airwaves may be public, but that only means that they have to fit their content within obscenity laws. The purpose of the FCC is only to enforce those laws, not dictate content to owners of stations.

I'm sorry, but this is another power grab by the administration. I swear to God that our President is taking out his impoverished childhood on everyone who has money. Life isn't fair. Some people have more money than others. Someone earned that money, and it isn't fair to take it. Someone bought that radio station, and it isn't fair to take that either.